Suspension fastener

ABSTRACT

A suspension fastener is described of the type adapted to be used in conjunction with a T-bar, said fastener being characterized by the fact that it is provided with leg portions and flange portions, said flange portions being responsive to movement of said leg portions toward each other for releasably looking said flange portions to each other.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,843,086 Ptak 1451 Oct. 22, 1974 SUSPENSION FASTENER 3,096,862 7/1963 Purdyi 52/484 x 3,146,024 8/1964 Timms 297/195 [75] Invent l F Mddleburg 3,463,432 8/1969 Ptak 52/489 x fights, OhlO 3,599,921 8/1971 Cumber 3,601,862 8/1971 Hargadon .1 [73] Asslgnee' 8:5? Fasteners Lomm 3,612,46l 10/1971 Brouen 248/317 Filedl 1971 Primary ExaminerFoss: 1. Franklin [21] APPL Nu: 126,413 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-lslcr 8L Ornstcin [52] U.S. Cl. 248/317, 52/484 [5-7] P F [51 1m. (:1 E04b 5/52, E06b 3/54 A Suspension fastener IS descflbed the type adapted [58] Field of Search 248/317, 323, 324, 343, to be used in Conjunction with a n Said fastener 24 342 2 5 5 2 4 4 5 4 5 being characterized by the fact that it is provided with 144, 2537/1895 1 leg portions and flange portions, said flange portions being responsive to movement of said leg portions to- 5 References Cited ward each other for releasably looking said flange por- UNITED STATES PATENTS 1on5 each Other- 3 g 0g0 1/1962 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Loudon 248/228 mmmnmzz W 3.843.08

INVENTOR.

WILBUR F. PTAK ATTORNEYS SUSPENSION FASTENER This invention relates generally to suspension fasteners, but has reference more particularly to a fastener of the type used in conjunction with a T-bar for the purpose of suspending a lighting fixture or the like.

In US. Pat. No. 3,018,080, a scissor-clip is disclosed, which is secured to a T-shaped supporting bar, which is suspended by a cable or rod from an overhead sup porting structure, the T-shaped supporting bar being utilized for the support of ceiling panels, such as used for accoustical ceilings.

The T-shaped bar is usually formed from an elongated section of generally flat thin metal stock, which has been bent upon itself to provide a centrally arranged vertical leg portion, and marginal or flange portions bent at right angles to the leg portion and extending in opposite directions therefrom.

To improve the rigidity and supporting strength of the T-shaped bar, an elongated section of flat thin metal stock is disposed against the marginal or flange portions and is secured thereagainst by rolling or turning the edges thereof over the edges of the marginal portions or flanges to provide rolled edges. The ceiling panels are supported on the rolled edges.

The scissor-clip is provided with a bolt having a threaded stem portion depending downwardly therefrom, and which is provided with a nut.

When it is desired to suspend a fixture, such as a lamp or lighting fixture, the nut is removed, the fixture is fitted over the stem, and the nut is replaced, so that the fixture is thereby securely suspended from the T- shaped supporting bar.

The principal disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the weight of the lamp fixture is carried directly by the T-bar, thereby imposing substantial stresses on the flanges of the T-bar, which can result in distortion of the flanges and cause buckling of the ceiling panels.

The present invention has, as its primary object, the provision of a suspension fastener, which is used in conjunction with a T-bar of the character described, to support a lamp or lighting fixture or the like, independently of the T-bar, and without imposing any weight stresses on the flanges of the bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suspension fastener of the character described, which is directly supported by the overhead supporting structure by means of the cable or rod, thereby avoiding connection of such cable or rod to the T-bar.

A further object of the invention is to provide a onepiece fastener of the character described, which can quickly and easily be snapped in position about the T- bar.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following descrip- FIG. 5 is a view showing the clip as applied to a T- bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is disclosed a T-bar, such as described above in connection with US. Pat. No. 3,018,080, formed of thin flat metal stock, bent upon itself to provide a centrallyarranged vertical leg portion 1, and marginal or flange portions 2 and 3 bent at right angles to the leg portion and extending in opposite directions therefrom.

An elongated section of thinflat metal stock 4 is disposed against the lower surfaces of the flanges 2 and 3, and is secured against these surfaces by rolling or turning the edges thereof-over the edges of the flanges 2 and 3 to provide rolled edges 5 and 6.

The fastener of the present invention is made of a single piece of flat resilient or springy metal stock, which is bent to provide a central portion 7 of arcuate crosssection, and from which extend divergent flat sides 8 and 9, which are respectively offset inwardly, as at 8a and 9a.

Extending outwardly from the lower end of the portion 8a of the side 8 is a flange 10, which is rebent at its outer end to provide an inwardly-extending flange 11, which is in substantially parallel and spaced relation to the flange 10.

The flange 11 is provided in its side edges with rectangular recesses 12 and 13, the recess 12 having an edge 12a, and the recess 13 having an edge 13a, these edges constituting shoulders or stops for a purpose to be presently described.

The flange 11 is further provided, between the recesses 12 and 13, with an opening 14 (FIG. 4) through which the stem 15 of a screw bolt extends, perpendicularly to the plane of the flange 11, the head 16 of this bolt rests on the flange 11, and the bolt is rigidly secured to the flange, as by staking the portion of the stem immediately below the flange 11 to the flange.

Extending outwardly from the lower end of the portion 9a of the side 9 is a flange 17, which is rebent at its outer end to provide an inwardly-extending flange 18, which is in substantially parallel and in spaced relation to the flange 17.

The flange 18 is provided in its sides with upturned detents 19 and 20, which are formed by slitting the flange and bending portions of the flange defined by said slits upwardly. The detent 19 has an end 19a and the detent 20 has an end 20a. The purpose of these detents and said ends will presently be described.

The flange 18 is further provided at its inner end with a recess 21, the function of which will be presently described.

The portions 8a and 9a of the sides 8 and 9, as well as the flanges l0 and 11 are respectively provided with enlarged openings 22 and 23, which serve to facilitate insertion of the screw bolt in the opening 14, when the bolt 15-16 is assembled with the fastener.

The stem 15 of the screw bolt has threadedly secured thereto a combination washer and nut (not shown), but which may be of the type described in my US. Pat. No. 3,422,722.

In assembling the fastener with the T-bar, the sides of l the fastener are spread apart sufficiently to enable the fastener to be passed downwardly over the leg portion 1 and flange portions 2 and 3 of the Tbar, to a position in which the outer edges of these flanges lie adjacent the spaces between the flanges l0 and 11 and between the flanges l7 and 18 of the fastener.

With the fastener thus positioned in relation to the T-bar, the sides and flanges of the fastener are moved to the position shown in FIG. 5.

in the course of this inward movement, of the sides and flanges, the recess 21 in the flange l8 enables the flange 18 to clear the stem of the screw bolt, and the detents 19 and slide under the edge of the flange l1, and are cammed downwardly slightly by such edge. After the ends 19a and 20a of the detents pass the edges or shoulders 12a and 13a of the recesses 12 and 13, the detents snap upwardly into these recesses, so that the ends 19a and 20a come into abutment with the shoulders 12a and 13a, to thereby lock the fastener to the T-bar, as shown in FIG. 5, with the stem 15 of the bolt in vertical position.

The fastener may be suspended from an overhead supporting structure (not shown) by means of a wire or cable secured to the portion 7 of the fastener.

When it is desired to suspend a lighting fixture from the screw bolt, to which reference has been made, the nut is removed from the stem 15 of the bolt, the fixture is fitted over the stem, and the nut is replaced, so that the fixture is securely suspended from the fastener.

If it becomes necessary to disconnect the fastener from the T-bar, this may be done by pushing the stem of the bolt upwardly to disengage the shoulders 12a and 13a from the ends 19a and 20a of the detents after which the inherent resiliency of the sides of the fastener will cause these sides to diverge from each other, and thereby facilitate removal of the fastener from the T-bar by an upward movement.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a suspension fastener which, when used in conjunction with a T-bar of the character described, to support a lamp or lighting fixture or the like, supports the fixture independently of the T-bar, and without imposing any appreciable weight stresses on the flanges of the bar.

It is further apparent that l have provided a suspension fastener of the character described, which is supported directly by the overhead supporting structure by means of a wire or cable, thereby avoiding connection of such wire or cable to the T-bar.

It is still further apparent that l have provided a onepiece fastener of the character described, which can be quickly and easily snapped or locked in fixture supporting position about a T-bar.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A suspension fastener adapted to be secured to a T-bar, said fastener comprising a resilient one-piece member having divergent leg portions, and flanges adapted to overlap each other and underlie a portion of said T-bar when said leg portions are moved toward each other, one of said fastener flanges being provided with a pair of transversely spaced recesses each extending inwardly from the side edges of said fastener flange and each having at least one edge extending substantially perpendicular to said side edges and constituting a shoulder or stop, the other of said fastener flanges including a pair of transversely spaced tongues formed by slitting the metal of said other fastener flange inwardly from each of the side edges of said other fastener flange and bending the metal adjacent one side of the slit out ot the plane of said other fastener flange, whereby when said fastener flanges are moved into overlapping relationship with each other, said tongues initially separate said flanges and subsequently resiliently enter said recesses and engage said shoulders or stops to impede inadvertent separation of said fastener flanges from each other, and a supporting screw secured to and depending from one of said fastener flanges.

2. The combination, as defined in claim 1, wherein said screw is provided with a head which rests on said one of said flange portions, said screw being staked to the latter,

3. A suspension fastener adapted to be secured to a T-bar, said fastener comprising a resilient one-piece member having divergent leg portions, each leg terminating in an oppositely inwardly directed flange portion adapted to underlie said T-bar in overlapping relation with each other when said leg and flange portions are moved toward each other, one of said flanges being provided with at least one recess extending inwardly from each of the side edges of said flange, said recesses having edges extending substantially perpendicular to the side edges of said flange and constituting tongue receiving shoulders or stops, the other of said flanges being provided with at least one tongue integrally formed in said other flange adjacent to and extending inwardly from each of the side edges of said other flange, said tongue extending out of the plane of said other flange in a direction to enter a portion of said recess in said first named flange when said flanges are moved into overlapping relationship with each other, said tongues and said recesses defining lock means to prevent inadvertent separation of said flanges from each other, and a threaded supporting element secured to and depending from one of said flanges.

4. A fastener, as defined in claim 3, wherein said supporting element is provided with a head which rests on said one of said second flange portions, and said supporting element is staked to the latter. 

1. A suspension fastener adapted to be secured to a T-bar, said fastener comprising a resilient one-piece member having divergent leg portions, and flanges adapted to overlap each other and underlie a portion of said T-bar when said leg portions are moved toward each other, one of said fastener flanges being provided with a pair of transversely spaced recesses each extending inwardly from the side edges of said fastener flange and each having at least one edge extending substantially perpendicular to said side edges and constituting a shoulder or stop, the other of said fastener flanges including a pair of transversely spaced tongues formed by slitting the metal of said other fastener flange inwardly from each of the side edges of said other fastener flange and bending the metal adjacent one side of the slit out ot the plane of said other fastener flange, whereby when said fastener flanges are moved into overlapping relationship with each other, said tongues initially separate said flanges and subsequently resiliently enter said recesses and engage said shoulders or stops to impede inadvertent separation of said fastener flanges from each other, and a supporting screw secured to and depending from one of said fastener flanges.
 2. The combination, as defined in claim 1, wherein said screw is provided with a head which rests on said one of said flange portions, said screw being staked to the latter.
 3. A suspension fastener adapted to be secured to a T-bar, said fastener compRising a resilient one-piece member having divergent leg portions, each leg terminating in an oppositely inwardly directed flange portion adapted to underlie said T-bar in overlapping relation with each other when said leg and flange portions are moved toward each other, one of said flanges being provided with at least one recess extending inwardly from each of the side edges of said flange, said recesses having edges extending substantially perpendicular to the side edges of said flange and constituting tongue receiving shoulders or stops, the other of said flanges being provided with at least one tongue integrally formed in said other flange adjacent to and extending inwardly from each of the side edges of said other flange, said tongue extending out of the plane of said other flange in a direction to enter a portion of said recess in said first named flange when said flanges are moved into overlapping relationship with each other, said tongues and said recesses defining lock means to prevent inadvertent separation of said flanges from each other, and a threaded supporting element secured to and depending from one of said flanges.
 4. A fastener, as defined in claim 3, wherein said supporting element is provided with a head which rests on said one of said second flange portions, and said supporting element is staked to the latter. 